FARRER League reigning premiers Temora have pulled off a groundbreaking recruiting coup, the biggest AFL Riverina has seen in more than a decade.
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Just days out from a round one grand final replay against East Wagga-Kooringal, Temora have unveiled US recruits Carl Winston and Torrey Harkness.
The pair flew into Temora last Wednesday, trained with the club and then signed.
They will move to Temora on Tuesday.
The pair have spent the past six weeks training with VFL club Port Melbourne and moved to Australia in a bid to make an AFL career.
They are a product of American Footy Star, a talent recruitment vehicle designed to develop American athletes into Australian rules stars.
Temora president Darryl Harpley believes the signings will create unprecedented interest in the Farrer League.
“It should do, even within our own club, all the boys are pretty excited,” Harpley said.
Both men have been described as “NFL/Olympic sprinter-calibre athletes’’.
Winston, 23, was a running back for Washington State University and is 172 centimetres and 85 kilograms.
Harkness, 25, 180cm and 83kg, was a wide receiver and quarterback for Dixie State University.
After missing the cut with Port Melbourne, Temora were quick to snap up the services of the Americans.
After watching them go through their paces at training last week, Harpley predicts big things from the pair.
“We’re lucky and excited to have them.” he said.
“We haven’t seen before someone with the upper body power and foot speed.
“People should get along to watch them because they won’t believe what they can do.”
With the earlier recruitment of Irish ruckman Dominic Joyce from Collingullie, it will give Temora a strong international feel this season.
“We’ve got some North Americans, an Irishmen, we’ve looked outside the box to try and make our league stronger and a better place to be,” Harpley said.
“(Winston and Harkness) are out here to have a crack at our great game of AFL and if they want to come and learn more at Temora for a season or more than that’s fantastic for them.”
Harpley also thanked Ricky Nixon for his involvement in the deal.
